Exploring the work of ENDURE wheat team

März 10, 2014

A new paper explores the work of ENDURE's wheat case study team, explaining how the group of scientists and extension workers gathered and analysed information about disease management in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) in eight European countries.

Writing in an edition of the
Journal of Integrative Agriculture focused on cereal rusts and powdery mildews, they explain that this included information about specific disease thresholds, Decision Support Systems, host varieties, disease prevalence and pathogen virulence.

They write: “Major differences in disease prevalence and economic importance were observed. Septoria tritici blotch (Mycosphaerella graminicola
) was recognized as the most yield reducing disease in countries with intensive wheat production, but also rust diseases (Puccinia striiformis
and Puccinia triticina
), powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis
) and Fusarium head blight (Fusarium
spp.) were seen as serious disease problems.

“Examples of current Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies in different countries have been reported. Disease management and fungicide use patterns showed major differences, with an average input equivalent to 2.3 full dose rates (TFI) in the UK and a TFI of 0.6 in Denmark. These differences are most likely due to a combination of different cropping systems, climatic differences, disease prevalence, and socio-economic factors.

“The web based information platform
www.eurowheat.org was used for dissemination of information and results including information on control thresholds, cultural practices which can influence disease attack, fungicide efficacy, fungicide resistance, and pathogen virulence, which are all elements supporting IPM for disease control in wheat. The platform is open to all users. The target groups of Euro Wheat information are researchers, advisors, breeders, and similar partners dealing with disease management in wheat.”

ENDURE's wheat case study and winter crops based cropping systems teams produced a range of publications, which can be downloaded below. For more ENDURE publications,
click here, and for more ENDURE scientific papers in journals,
click here.

Wheat Case Study

Cover/Language

Title

Download (pdf)

Number 1: Using cultivar resistance to reduce fungicide input in wheat